Sliding box



Aug. 28, 1962 s. A. SANDSTRGM 3,051,366

SLIDING BOX Filed Jan. 4, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 SLIDING BOX 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1961 FIGA 1962 s. A. SANDSTROM 3,051,366

SLIDING BOX Filed Jan. 4, 19 61 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.7

1962 s. A. SANDSTROM 3,051,366

sumac BOX Filed Jan. 4, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 rates Unite I tice 3,051,366 SLIDING BOX Sixten Arvid Sandstriim, Jonkoping, Sweden, assignor t Alitiebolaget Siefvert & Fornander, Kalmar, Sweden Filed Jan. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 80,688 Claims priority, application Sweden Jan. 15, 1960 9 Claims. (Cl. 2299) This invention relates to a sliding box of the drawer and shell type, comprising an inner cardboard box or tray and an outer box or shell.

Boxes of this kind are in common use for different purposes, in particular as match boxes. The outer boxes may be made of wood, cardboard, plastic, or other material. When the inner boxes are made of cardboard, they require an accurate fit in the outer box, and this is of special importance when also the outer box is made of cardboard and the cardboard blanks of which the boxes are made are folded along fold lines in the form of V- shaped grooves having a substantially right angle between their side walls and obtained through removal of cardboard material, whereby the boxes obtain an exceedingly regular geometrical form with very sharp, right angles between adjacent sides. This necessitates very narrow tolerances in the manufacture of the inner and outer boxes to prevent the inner boxes from falling out of the outer boxes or from pressing so hard against the inner surface thereof that too great a force is required for the displacement of the inner box in the outer box. Furthermore, variations in the humidity of the boxes may cause them to shrink or swell irregularly, so that the inner box may get jammed in the outer box or fall out thereof too easily.

The main object of the invention is to remove these drawbacks and provide an improved sliding box of the above-mentioned kind which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sliding box with moderate and adequate friction between inner box and outer box irrespective of the humidity conditions.

With these and other objects in view the sliding box according to the invention comprises a cardboard inner box with special projecting tongues adapted to engage or bear against the inner surface of the outer box with a moderate pressure for creating an adequate friction resistance between inner box and outer box.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more fully apparent fro-m the following description and the accompanying drawings illustrating some preferred embodiments of the invention, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blank for an inner box according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating the box in a partially erected condition;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section through an end portion of a complete sliding box comprising inner and outer boxes shown on a larger scale;

FIGURES 4, 5, and 6 are views corresponding to FIG- URES 1, 2, and 3 respectively and illustrating another embodiment of a sliding box according to the invention;

FIGURES 7, 8, and 9 are views corresponding to FIG- URES l, 2, and 3 respectively and illustrating a further embodiment of the box; and

FIGURES 10, 11, and 12 are views corresponding to FIGURES l, 2, and 3 respectively and illustrating still another embodiment of a box according to the invention.

FIGURES 13 and 14 are two further vertical sections.

Referring to FIGURES l-3, 1 designates the bottom of an inner box, 2 designates the side walls extending in the sliding direction of the inner box, 3 designates the transverse end walls, and 4 designates corner flaps integral with the side walls and adapted to be glued or cemented to the inner surface of the end walls 3 of the inner box. The cardboard from which the inner box is made usually has its grain mainly in one direction corresponding to the web direction in the cardboard machine, in which direction the cardboard is stiffer than in the transverse direction. The inner box is therefore preferably made in such a way that the tongues project in this grain direction, and in the embodiments where the end walls are not formed by folding and gluing two integral portions upon each other said grain direction also extends along the end walls and stiifens the same.

The middle portion 6 of the top edge of each side wall 2 is straight and located on the same level as the top edges of the end walls 3, the height of which is slightly less than the distance between the top and bottom portions of the outer box. The end portions of the edges of the side walls 2 form projections or tongues 5 locally increasing the height of the side walls 2 to such an extent that these tongues will be somewhat compressed and/or resiliently bent inwards, when the inner box is inserted into the outer box. By the pressure of the tongues and the bottom of the inner box resiliently against the inside of the outer box a friction resistance will be obtained suitable for normally keeping the inner box within the outer box while still easily permitting sliding of the inner box into and out of the outer box even if the dimensions of the boxes should vary within certain limits due to moderate manufacturing tolerances or moisture variations.

As the ends of the projections or tongues are smoothly bevelled or rounded, these tongues cannot hitch on to the outer box, and as only their central portions press against the outer box, the pressure will be elastic. The tongues may be given such a height that they maintain substantially their plane form, but they may also be made slightly higher, so that they will be bent somewhat aside and resiliently engage the outer box. If the tongues are arranged at the outer ends of the side walls of the inner =box, this box, when inserted completely in the outer box, will be securely held by four tongues, and if one end of the inner box is pushed out, only little power will be necessary for pushing out the inner box still further. Especially when the boxes are large, each side wall could suitably be provided with more than two tongues. The transverse clearance between the inner box and the outer box may be made sufficiently large to avoid any essential friction between the side walls of the outer and inner boxes.

In the embodiment according to FIGURES 4-6 the upper edge of each side wall 2 of the inner box is straight, and the tongues 5a have been formed on the lower edge of the side walls by punching the tongues 5a out from the bottom 1. When folding the side walls 2 in FIGURE 4 along a fold line 8 the tongues 5a will be swung down, so that they bear against the bottom 9 of the outer box when the inner box is pushed into the outer box. If also the tongues 5a are provided with fold lines, they may be bent slightly to form a certain angle with respect to the respective side walls, if they are dimensioned correspondingly.

Instead of locating the tongues to the ends of the side walls as shown in FIGURES l-6 inclusive, one or two tongues or projections may be arranged on the central portion of each side wall, so that they become less visible when the inner box is somewhat slid out, or one or two flaps maybe punched out from a side wall portion so as to project laterally from the bottom portion and engage the side wall of the outer box.

In the embodiment according to FIGURES 7-9 each end wall of the inner box comprises an outer portion 10 connected with the bottom 1 and an integral, inwardly folded inner portion 11 provided with two opposite end flaps 12 having projecting tongues b. When folding the blank according to FIGURE 7 the corner flaps 4a which form extentions of the side walls 2, will become embraced between the outer and inner portions and 11 of the adjacent end wall and glued thereto, whereas the flaps 12 will preferably remain free from but resiliently pressed against the inside of the side walls 2. In this construction a further improvement is obtained, if the lower edge of the displaceable end flap 12 is located at a distance above the bottom of the inner box "as shown at 12a, but it is obvious that the edge 12a also may be parallel with the bottom, in which case the lower edge of the inner portion 11 also may be located at the same level as the lower edge of the end flaps 12 for saving material. Thereby the tongue 5b together with the whole flap 12 can be pressed resiliently downwards a desired distance without deformation of the tongue. As appears from FIGURE 7 the tongues are obtained in such a way that they do not cause any waste of cardboard. An additional advantage resides in the increased rigidity of the end walls, to which the pressure is applied when the inner box is pushed into or out of the outer box, which permits utilizing a thinner cardboard material.

Instead of tongues 5b directed upwards as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, the end flaps 12 may be formed, according to FIGURES 1012, with tongues 5b directed downwards and passing through slots 13 in the bottom 1 of the inner box so as to engage the inside of the bottom of the outer box as shown in FIGURE 12. The upper edge of the end flaps 12 is preferably lower than the upper edge of the proper side wall of the inner box and is in FIGURES 11 and 12 shown inclined from the corner as shown at 12b. The end flaps 12, which are not secured to the respective side walls 2, can thus be resiliently displaced by the tongues 51) sufiiciently to avoid a too great pressure on the tongues.

As, in the embodiments shown in FIGURES 8 and 11, double and therefore stiff end walls are provided, a rather thin cardboard may be used, even if the main direction of grain extends in the longitudinal or sliding direction of the inner box. In this instance the grain of the end flaps 12 will, due to the folding of the end portions 10 and 11 and of the end flaps 12, extend in the direction of projection of the tongues 5b. This direction of grain will make the tongues 5b more resistant against wear, so that they will not become too weak. A contributory cause of this latter result resides in the fact that the end flaps 12 are not rigidly secured to the side walls 2 but are free to flex resiliently upwards and downwards in response to their contact with the outer box.

As shown in FIGURES 13 and 14 the tongues 5, 5a and 5!) may be supplemented, within the scope of the invention, by discontinuities in the substantially plane panels or surfaces of the outer box cooperating with the tongues. The words discontinuities or cavities as used in the appended claims are to be construed in a broad sense and are intended to include through slits and slots as well as depressions or indentations in the surfaces of the outer box. When the inner box is fully inserted in the outer box these indentations or slots receive the tongues to positively prevent unintentional displacement of the inner box from its home position defined by the indentations or slots.

FIGURE 13 is a longitudinal section made just ahead of the rear side wall through a portion of a modified embodiment of the box illustrated in FIG. 6. According to FIGURE 13 the bottom 9 of the outer box is provided with depressed indentations 14 extending in the sliding direction and cooperating with the tongues 5a. The indentat-ions 14 receive the tongues 5a, when the inner box reaches its home position fully inserted in the outer box, thus preventing the inner box from sliding out of the outer box unintentionally.

In the embodiment according to FIGURE 14, illustrating a partial section similar to that of FIGURE 13 through a modification of the sliding box according to FIGURE 12, a longitudinal slot 13a is substituted for for the indentation 14 show in FIGURE 13. It is, however, evident that the indentation 14 of FIGURE 13 may be replaced by a slot 13a according to FIGURE 14, and in the same Way said slot 13:: may, Within the scope of the invention, be replaced by an indentation 14 according to FIGURE 13 or by a slot 13 open at one end as shown in FIGURE 12.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to some preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the rounded, convex tongues or projections at the ends of the side walls may be supplemented or replaced by tongues projecting from the central portion of the side walls of the inner box. It is also evident that the number of such tongues or projections may be more or less than four. Furthermore, new embodiments lying within the scope of the appendant claims may be created by combining features from different embodiments hereinbefore disclosed. Thus, the longitudinal end walls of the inner box may have their upper as well as their lower edges provided with tongues each located near one end of the side wall and for instance projecting from opposite edges of an end flap 12. Finally, it is also evident that the invention, although having particular importance in connection with cardboard inner boxes, is applicable to inner boxes of other material, such as veneer or plastic.

What I claim is:

1. A sliding box for matches comprising an outer box having a top panel, a bottom panel and two side walls, and an inner cardboard box, slidably inserted in said outer box and having a bottom; two side walls extending in the sliding direction of the inner box and provided, at their respective ends, with a corner flap folded so as to extend substantially perpendicularly to said side walls; and two double end walls each having an outer portion contiguous to said bottom and folded substantially with respect thereto, and an integral, inner portion folded substantially upon the outer portion, said inner and outer portions embracing, at each end of the inner box, one pair of said corner flaps, each of said inner end wall portions having at its respective ends an integral end flap folded so as to extend along one adjacent side wall of the inner box; each end flap being displaceable relative to the respective side wall of the inner box and having an upper edge defining a convex, projecting, rounded tongue frictionally bearing against the inner surface of said top panel of the outer box with its central portion and narrowing therefrom in the sliding direction of the inner box towards its both ends, and a lower edge, which is located at a distance above the bottom of the inner box; said inner box consisting of cardboard with its grain prevailing in one direction, coincident with the sliding direction of the inner box and, on account of the folding of the end walls and the end flaps, with that direction in which said tongues project.

2. A sliding box for matches comprising an outer box having a top panel, a bottom panel and two side walls, and an inner cardboard box, slidably inserted in said outer box and having a bottom; two side walls extending in the sliding direction of the inner box and provided, at their respective ends, with a corner flap folded so as to extend substantially perpendicularly to said side walls; and two double end walls each having an outer portion contiguous to said bottom and folded substantially 90 with respect thereto, and an integral, inner portion folded substantially 180 upon the outer portion; said inner and outer portions embracing, at each end of the inner box, one pair of said corner flaps, which are each secured to at least one of said end wall portions; each of said inner portions having at its respective ends an integral end flap folded so as to extend along one adjacent side wall of the inner box, each end flap being displaceable relative to the respective side wall of .he inner box and frictionally bearing against the inner surface of said bottom of the outer box with its central portion and narrowing therefrom in the sliding direction of the inner box towards its both ends; said inner box consisting of cardboard with its grain prevailing in one direction, coincident with the sliding direction of the inner box and, on account of the folding of the end walls and the end flaps, with that direction in which said tongues project.

3. A sliding box comprising an outer box having a top panel, a bottom panel and two side walls, and an inner cardboard :box, slidably inserted in said outer box and having a bottom; two side walls extending in the sliding direction of the inner box and provided, at their respective ends, with a corner flap folded so as to extend substantially perpendicularly to said side walls; and two double end walls each having an outer portion contiguous to said bottom and folded substantially 90 with respect thereto, and an integral inner portion folded substantially 180 upon the outer portion; said inner and outer portions embracing, at each end of the inner box, one pair of said corner flaps, which are each secured to at least one of said end wall portions, each of said inner portions having at its respective ends an integral end flap folded so as to extend along one adjacent side wall of the inner box, each end flap having one convex, projecting, rounded tongue frictionally bearing against the inner surface of the outer box with its central portion and narrowing therefrom in the sliding direction of the inner box towards its both ends.

4. A sliding box as claimed in claim 3, in which at least the major portion of the lower edge of said end flaps is located at a distance above the bottom of the inner box and the upper edge forms said projecting tongue, which is adapted to bear against said top panel of the outer box.

5. A sliding box as claimed in claim 3, in which the inner box consists of cardboard with its grain prevailing in one direction, coincident with the sliding direction of the inner box and, on account of the folding of the end walls and the end flaps, with that direction in which said tongues project.

6. A sliding box as claimed in claim 3, in which said inner portion is glued to said corner flaps, whereas said opposite end flaps are displaceable relative to the respective side walls of the inner box.

7. A sliding box as claimed in claim 3, in which the lower edge of said opposite end flaps forms a tongue projecting downwards through a slot in the bottom of the inner box.

8. A sliding box as claimed in claim 7, in which said end flaps have at least the major portion of their upper edge located at -a lower level than the upper edge of the side wall proper.

9. A sliding box as claimed in claim 7, in which said downwardly projecting tongues engage discontinuities, such as slots or cavities, in the bottom panel of the outer box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,825,158 Petersen et a1. Sept. 29, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 265,814 Great Britain Feb. 17, 1927 802,806 France Sept. 16, 1936 

